Month: September 2019

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When Beethoven first performed…

When Beethoven first performed his Ninth Symphony, as he couldn’t hear the rapturous applause it received due to his deafness, one of his singers approached him and turned him around so that he could see the standing ovation he was receiving.

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London’s smallest statue…

London’s smallest statue ‘Two Mice Eating Cheese’ commemorates the death of two workmen who, in 1862, fell from scaffolding whilst arguing over a missing sandwich. It was actually stolen by mice.

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Science recognises Ouija Board…

Science recognizes Ouija Boards users are “moving the planchette involuntarily” and a when answering “yes or no questions, ouija use was significantly more accurate than guesswork, suggesting that it might draw on the unconscious mind” and the users enter a “dissociative state”.

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People Share the Things That Make Them Get Furious with Other People

I try to be positive and be kind to everyone, but man, sometimes people really get on my nerves and I can’t help but get incredibly annoyed at them.

Hey, I’m working on it, okay?

Hopefully, these AskReddit users, are as well, because they are pretty fired up about people right now.

1. Turn on your signal!

“When people slow down as soon as they cut in front onto your lane on the highway. Worst is when they do it with no blinkers.”

2. Before you accuse me…

“When people twist the truth and accuse you of things you didn’t do and people side with them.”

3. I said ‘no’!

“People who can’t take “no” for an answer and will push you to agree/accept what they say.

People who can’t accept criticism when they fuck up and affect other people’s lives.

People who can’t have a discussion where they are being told a fact and they disprove it because “back in the day…” or authority arguments should always win.

It teaches you some hardcore patience when you have to deal with people like these on the daily.”

4. I would be LIVID.

“My dog ran away 5 days ago and I’ve been posting on every website trying to find him. Someone posted him as FOUND yesterday and SOMEONE ELSE CLAIMED HIM. Had to contact the police to help me finally get him back after 5 hours of headache because the person that found him blocked me and they were only trying to cooperate after the Facebook group that originally thought he was returned to his rightful owner put them on blast for stealing my dog. People fucking suck man.”

5. Just admit it.

“When they did something obviously wrong and still openly denies it.”

6. There’s a lot of this going around.

“People who abuse their power and get away with it scot free.”

7. Clean up after yourself.

“People who say “Oh it’s their job to clean up after me” or “I’m making sure that they’re still employed” as an excuse for not cleaning up after themselves in public.

Like NO.

You don’t leave a soda spilled everywhere and then not even attempt to clean it up.

You don’t leave rolls and rolls of toilet paper all over the floor in the bathroom.

You don’t leave bags of popcorn and drinks and popcorn all over a theater floor and seats.

Take responsibility.

Clean. Up. Your. Mess.”

8. Sketchy folks everywhere.

“People that find the utmost joy in saying nasty shit behind others back.

Either that or people that plot on other peoples demise, you know like sit there and watch them make a mistake only to use it against them for their own personal gain when they could have just helped them in the first place.”

9. One of my biggest pet peeves.

“People who litter. Especially when there is a bin literally a metre away.”

10. That was supposed to be private.

“When a coworker decides to “correct” me by sending a passive aggressive email and copying the boss and the whole group instead of just saying something to me privately and in person.”

11. A huge red flag.

“People being assholes to servers/hosts at a restaurant.”

12. Put it back where it belongs.

“People who don’t return their grocery cart. Like, who do you think you are?”

13. Amen to this one.

“People who mistreat animals. I just can’t fathom the mindset that enables someone to hurt truly innocent creatures.”

14. I totally don’t understand this phenomenon.

“Youtube/Instagram/social media “influencers” who make a living off being an obnoxious piece of shit, with thousands/millions of mindless drones rooting them on, buying their merch, giving them advertising power, and imitating them.

And to clarify, I’m not talking about all “influencers”, I’m specifically talking about ones who harass, annoy, and distress people (usually completely random bystanders), cause drama, and have a mindless legion of followers who support it all the way.”

15. A sad sight, indeed.

“Graffiti on historical monuments/buildings.”

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15 Powerful Portraits of Ellis Island Immigrants

Ellis Island was the point of entry for millions of immigrants arriving in the United States between 1892 and 1954. Opening day on January 1, 1892, saw the entry of 17-year-old Annie Moore from Cork, Ireland. She was the first of 700 people that day who would step off ships, pass through the checkpoints on the island and start their new lives in America.

Wealthy passengers in first and second class were examined onboard their ships before getting sent on their way. Poor passengers were considered more likely to become a burden on the state. They had to undergo medical and legal examinations on the island for hours before their release. Those that were detained had to wait for money or for someone to come and collect them. One of the factors that allowed immigrants to stay was if they had some money on them and a place to stay.

Immigrants from certain countries were considered more desirable. People from Northern and Western Europe, for example, had fewer problem with entry. Then, in the 1920s, there was a limit placed on the number of Southern and Eastern Europeans allowed entry.

Amateur photographer Augustus Sherman worked as the Chief Registry Clerk on Ellis Island from 1892 until 1925. During his tenure, he took amazing photos of detainees in their traditional clothes as they were waiting for final clearances.

Many were turned away.

1. Hungarian Gypsies, all of whom were deported.

Photo Credit: Flickr

2. Group photograph of newly-arrived immigrants in native costumes, some with turbans, some with fezzes.

Photo Credit: Flickr

3. Scottish boys

Photo Credit: Flickr

4. Dutch woman.

Photo Credit: Flickr

5. Alsace-Lorraine girl.

Photo Credit: Flickr

6. Bavarian man.

Photo Credit: Flickr

7. Guadeloupean woman.

Photo Credit: Flickr

8. Danish man.

Photo Credit: Flickr

9. Bavarian man.

Photo Credit: Flickr

10. German stowaway.

Photo Credit: Flickr

11. Girl from Rattvik, province of Dalarna, Sweden.

Photo Credit: Flickr

12. Norwegian woman.

Photo Credit: Flickr

13. Lapland children, possibly from Sweden.

Photo Credit: Flickr

14. Laplander.

Photo Credit: Flickr

15. Russian Cossacks.

Photo Credit: Flickr

There exists approximately 97 portraits of people from around the world proudly wearing traditional clothing and sitting for their portrait as they waited to become residents of the United States. For more of these beautiful images, see Flickr Creative Commons. All images are housed by the New York Public Library.

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People Seem to Agree on One Thing: No One Wants a Remake of ‘The Princess Bride’

America is united! About this at least…

Cary Elwes, who played Wesley in the iconic movie The Princess Bride, had a response to the idea of its remake. “There’s a shortage of perfect movies in this world. It would be a pity to damage this one.”

Photo Credit: Buttercup Films

Sony Pictures CEO, Tony Vinciquerra, had casually mentioned the idea to Variety for a Norman Lear profile piece. Lear was the executive producer of the famed movie that starred Elwes, along with Robin Wright who starred as Princess Buttercup.

Vinciquerra told Variety, “We have so many people coming to us saying, ‘We want to remake this show or that show.’ Very famous people whose names I won’t use, but they want to redo ‘The Princess Bride.’”

The off-hand comment created a commotion on Twitter. Made in 1987, The Princess Bride began trending as the social network users expressed their dismay. Elwes altered one of his famous lines and tweeted his thoughts that it was already the “perfect movie.”

Actor Jamie Lee Curtis, now married to another of the film’s stars, Christopher Guest, tweeted her indignation.

But the best tweets came from fans and celebrities who used lines from the movie to show their outrage. Clearly, they are prepared to defend The Princess Bride to the death.

People tweeted movie memes.

Simply put, the very idea of The Princess Bride remake is…

Any movie that can make both women and men cry at the end needs to remain untouched. Drop it, Sony Films. In the words of the Ancient Booer, “Boo, boo, boo.”

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Study Blames a Lack of ‘Economically-Attractive’ Men for Declining Marriage Rates

This sure doesn’t sound good. I know fewer people have been getting married, but I thought the cultural shift was due to other things.

Once again, I was wrong.

Researchers at Cornell University released a study with a pretty sobering conclusion: there aren’t as many “economically-attractive” men as there used to be for unmarried women to pick from.

Ouch.

The researchers looked at data from marriages between 2007-2013 and 2013-2017. They then looked at the financial and sociodemographic data of the potential husbands for unmarried women by creating economic profiles based on real husbands who had already married similar women. Then, the “potential husbands” were compared to real population data of men across the United States.

After they crunched the numbers, the researchers found some grim data: the “potential husbands,” aka the ones who don’t exist, had an average income 58% higher than the actual, real population of unmarried men currently on the market in the U.S. The “potential husbands” also were 19% more likely to have college degrees and 30% more likely to be employed.

In a media release, the study’s lead author Dr. Daniel T. Lichter said:

“Most American women hope to marry but current shortages of marriageable men–men with a stable job and a good income–make this increasingly difficult, especially in the current gig economy of unstable low-paying service jobs. Marriage is still based on love, but it also is fundamentally an economic transaction. Many young men today have little to bring to the marriage bargain, especially as young women’s educational levels on average now exceed their male suitors.”

Man, reality can be a real bummer sometimes…

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Denmark Dominates the World Happiness Report Rankings Year After Year. Here’s Why.

America, let’s get it together. I don’t know if it’s arrogance or ignorance, but some Americans think that we are hands-down the best, the happiest, the “number-one” at everything imaginable.

I love living in the United States, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else (permanently), but I have to admit that a lot of people here aren’t necessarily happy.

But in Denmark, folks are incredibly happy. In fact, the country ranks at or near the top of the World Happiness Rankings year after year. So what’s behind the happiness in that Scandinavian country of just under 6 million people?

The rankings are based on statistics including crime, income, health, and civic engagement. People were also asked questions about how often they experience positive and negative emotions.

But there’s more than that when it comes to figuring out why Danish people are so happy. They have access to good health care and education, they have a stable government, and they happily pay the highest taxes in the world because they believe this helps create a better society.

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Beautiful Copenhagen ?? ⠀ How many bicycles do you see on the photo? ?? _________ ⠀ Сколько велосипедов вы видите на фото?? ⠀ Дания поистине страна велосипедистов ? По статистике их здесь в два раза больше, чем автомобилей, представляете?? ⠀ Я уже второй раз за год в этом чудесном городе, и каждый раз он мне нравится всё больше ❤ ⠀ К тому же нам дважды везло с погодой, а как вы знаете, Скандинавия в этом плане очень непредсказуема ? Вы были в Копенгагене?)

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But there’s something else in the character of the Danish people that makes them so happy: it’s known as “hygge.” The word is sometimes translated as “cozy,” and Danes value it highly. It basically means having comfortable, high-quality social interactions with family and friends and being content with enjoying the simple things in life.

A hygge evening could consist of a family playing board games, having coffee with a friend in front of a fireplace, or eating a quiet, easygoing meal with someone. Hygge is so important to the Danish character that the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen called it “a defining feature of our cultural identity and an integral part of the national DNA.”

Places can also be described as “hyggelige”, such as a person’s home, which is obviously a compliment and means that it is cozy, comfortable, and welcoming. Danish people use hygge to combat everyday stress and to build camaraderie.

I don’t know about you, but I love this concept.

FYI, in the 2019 World Happiness Rankings, Denmark came in second place and was edged out for #1 by Finland. The U.S. sits at #19.

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A Scared Dog Got Rescued Right Before Being Put Down, and Her Response Was so Sweet

More of these kinds of stories, please!

Bronwnye Mirkovich was looking for a new best fur-friend when he marched into a nearby shelter. He wasn’t anticipating finding “the one” that day, but there she was, waiting for him.

Photo Credit: YouTube

The reason Mirkovich chose a shelter was to try to prevent an unadopted dog from being put down before the right owner came along. According to the Humane Society, six to eight million animals end up in shelters each year, and only half will be adopted.

Mirkovich was ready to give it a shot. He walked around the shelter checking out the animals ready to go to forever homes, when he saw a a matted, dirty, skinny Maltese mix called Edie. She was hours away from getting put down. Although she was shivering and looked as if she’d had a hard life, something about her called to him. He knew he had to bring her home.

At first, she was terrified and even defecated in the corner. She cried and growled. But Mirkovich was patient. He pulled her into his lap and petted her until she calmed. He’d already made up his mind.

Photo Credit: YouTube

When Edie figured out what Mirkovich was thinking, she jumped up and pranced. Staffers cleaned her up and got her ready to go to her new home. She had a bath, a hair cut and some shots to get her up to date.

Photo Credit: YouTube

The adoption was caught on video. By the end of it, Edie was a new, and happy, dog.

Shelter dogs make great pets. There are steps you can take to make sure you find the perfect addition for your family:

  • If you already have a dog, bring him or her to see if they are willing to be friends.
  • Follow your gut feelings about an animal rather than look for specific breeds.
  • Ask questions about health and background of any animals you think you could adopt.
  • Bring any paperwork you might need, especially your rental agreement.

Most importantly, don’t overlook your local shelters. There are so many dogs, cats and other animals needing homes. They will be forever grateful for your love and attention.

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After Just One Use, Vaping Can Damage Your Blood Vessels

A lot of bad news about vaping has come out lately, and here’s some more.

A new study published in Radiology claims that vaping one time – even without nicotine – can damage blood vessels, reduce blood flow, and create dangerous toxins.

The researchers found that the heat created by e-cigs meant to turn liquid into vapor also stirs the compounds into toxic particles. They studied MRI scans of 31 healthy non-smokers before and after vaping nicotine-free e-cigs to come to their conclusions.

After the participants took 3-second drags 16 times from e-cigs loaded with tobacco flavoring and sweeteners, researchers found they had significant decreased blood flow in the femoral artery – the main artery that delivers blood to your thigh and leg.

Felix Wehrli, the study’s principal investigator, says their study defeats “the notion that e-cigarette vaping is harmless.”

“Beyond the harmful effects of nicotine, we’ve shown that vaping has a sudden, immediate effect on the body’s vascular function, and could potentially lead to long-term harmful consequences.”

The researchers observed an average 34% reduction in the artery’s dilation, and found vaping led to a 17.5% reduction in peak blood flow and a 20% reduction in oxygen in the veins.

Author Alessandra Caporale expanded on their findings in a statement:

“E-cigarettes are advertised as not harmful, and many e-cigarette users are convinced that they are just inhaling water vapor. But the solvents, flavorings and additives in the liquid base, after vaporization, expose users to multiple insults to the respiratory tract and blood vessels.”

With the recent issues sweeping the nation – 100 teens in 14 states have reported lung damage after vaping (including 14 hospitalizations and a number of deaths) – these findings are especially troubling.

Earlier this spring, another study found that flavored e-juice also had toxic effects, like weaker cell survival and increased inflammation.

The American Lung Association has joined with the CDC and others in warning care when turning to e-cigs.

“Inhaling chemicals into your lungs is dangerous. E-cigarettes are guilty until proven innocent, and we are very much in the guilty stage,” says one spokesperson.

Dr. Robert Jackler, founder of Stanford Research Into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising, has dark warnings, as well.

“Nobody knows what it does to the human lung to breathe in and out aerosolized propylene glycol and glycerin over and over. It’s an experiment, frankly. We will find out, years from now, the results.”

And since those results could be “it kills you, in time” avoiding the products altogether seems the smartest course of action.

To me, anyway.

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